Naba Basar presents highlights from the heroic life of Nusaybah bint Kab (rta)
Not many women in the history of Islam can surpass the exemplary life of Nusaybah bint Kab (rta). She was one of two women, who traveled with seventy-three men to Makkah for pledging allegiance to the Prophet (sa). In complete obedience to the Prophet (sa), they pledged themselves also to Jihad. This historical meeting is known as the second pledge of al-Aqabah.
Nusaybah, known as Umm Imarah, was a pious and noble woman. She was also a daring and courageous fighter in the cause of Allah, and proved more than once to be truthful to her pledge.
Hearing that the army of Makkan pagans was moving towards Uhud, in order to take revenge for their heavy losses in the battle of Badr, the Prophet (sa) mobilized Muslim men of Madinah. Nusaybah (rta), with her husband and two sons, Abdullah and Habib, joined the fighters. She helped the wounded. As the battle raged and Muslims were close to being defeated, some Mujahideen began to flee, leaving the Prophet (sa) without protection. Seeing this, Nusaybah (rta) cut through the ranks of the enemy and fought fiercely.
During the battle, when the Prophet (sa) saw her without a shield and saw a man who was leaving the battlefield, carrying his shield. He (sa) asked him to surrender his shield to the one who was fighting. Nusaybah (rta) used that shield to protect the Messenger of Allah (sa).
Later, when one of her sons was wounded, during the battle of Uhud, and the blood would not stop. The Prophet (sa) asked him to bandage his wound. Nusaybah (rta) overheard this, while she was fighting. She came towards his son, carrying bandages. She then told him: ‘Get up, my son, and fight.’
A little while later, the man, who hit his son was coming their way, so the Prophet (sa) said: ‘Here is the man, who hit your son, O Umm Imarah.’ She went up to him, hit him in the leg, and left him kneeling on the ground. Prophet (sa) smiled so broadly that his molar teeth were showing and said: ‘You avenged yourself, Umm Imarah.’ The Prophet (sa) also said to her: ‘Praise is due to Allah, Who gave you victory over your enemy and satisfied you by showing you his death.'”
A few months later, when the call for another battle, Hamra-ul-Asad, was announced, Umm Imarah (rta) could not continue, because her earlier wound had got worse – she was bleeding profusely.
The battle of Uhud was not the only occasion, when Umm Imarah (rta) showed her bravery. She was among those, who gave the pledge to fight until martyrdom. She witnessed also the battle of Hunayn. When the Prophet (sa) passed away, Umm Imarah (rta) asked permission from Caliph Abu Bakr (rta) to join the army together with her two sons. He said: “We knew your bravery during the war – come on, in the name of Allah.”
She held her ground in the battlefield. Her son, Habib, fell prisoner to the enemy and was cut to pieces, organ by organ, until he died. Nusaybah (rta) returned from the war with twelve wounds, having lost her arm and her son.
Umm Imarah (rta) was a brave and true to her words woman, who holds a special place in the history of Islam.
About author
